Tool holder



Feb. 13, 1962 B. c. BROWN 3,021,012

TOOLHOLDER Filed Jan. 20, 1960 INVENTOR; BARNETT C. BROWN.

Unitgd P tent O.

3,021,012 TOOL HOLDER Barnett C. Brown, 303 N. Greeley St., Stillwater, Minn. Filed Jan. 20, 1960, Ser. No. 3,570 5 Claims. (Cl. 21160) This invention relates to an improvement in tool supporting devices and deals particularly with a support designed to support tools used by electricians, plumbers, machinists while using a machine for cutting, threading, and otherwise working upon a pipe or conduit. As presently utilized, pipe machines of the character described are capable of being transported from one job site to another and there set up for use. No particular provisions have been made to provide a holder or temporary placement area for hand tools used in conjunction with the pipe machine which may be moved from different sides of the machine. These hand tools must be readily accessible for the operator and they must be on the correct side of the machine.

This invention provides a simple and convenient tool support which will insure that the hand tools being used are always stored in a convenient position readily accessible to the operator.

A feature of the present invention resides in the provision of a tool holder which may be readily attached to either side of the machine. The tool comprises a racklike body for supporting hand tools used in conjunction with the machine. It is necessary that these hand tools be stored in the area immediately adjacent the working end of the machine yet out of the way insofar as the pipe or conduit being worked upon.

An additional feature of this invention resides in its simplicity of construction. The body of the holder may have one side disposed at an angle relative to a horizontal side. The notches disposed in the marginal edges of the body are semi-circular and are designed to engage the handles or certain portions of hand tools whereby the tools are suspended downwardly from the rack and are readily accessible. The body or rack is further supported by a channel which is semi-circular in cross section and which is attached to a web depending from the underside of the body. The channel is designed to embrace one of the diverging legs at the proper angle to further support the outward end of the body. It will be understood that the radius of the channel surface is substantially equal to the radius of the diverging legs of the machine. The entire device may be removed by removing the bolt connecting the holder to the base flange and lifting the holder, disengaging the channel from the supporting leg.

Other advantages and novel features of this invention will appear from the following description taken in connection with the drawings wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of a pipe machine showing the tool holder in position thereon.

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged fragmentary perspective view of a portion of a pipe machine showing the tool holder attached thereto.

FIGURE 3 is an enlarged fragmentary side elevation of the new device shown attached to a pipe machine, certain portions of the device and the pipe machine shown broken away.

FIGURE 4 is an enlarged fragmentary end elevation of the new device attached to one corner of the pipe machine.

The pipe machine is generally indicated by the letter A. For the purpose of presenting the details of this invention the construction of the pipe machine is unnecessary other than its general frame structure. These machines normally include an upper housing supported by a pair of rear legs 11 and 12 and a pair of front legs 13 and 14.

These legs diverge downwardly and outwardly from leg sockets 15. The lower edges of the sockets are normally provided with horizontal plates or flanges 16.

The tool holder is most clearly illustrated in FIGURES 1 and 2 and is indicated in general by the letter B. The tool holder is in the form of a generally rectangular main body having two sides 17 and 18. The body is a one piece structure but the side 18 is disposed at an angle relative to the side 17. This is best seen in FIGURE 4.

The sides 17 and 18 and the end of body are provided with a series of spaced notches 19 which may be of the same size or which may be of varying sizes depending upon the particular details of the tools to be supported.

At one end of the main body I provide a pair of cars or tabs 20 and 21 which are formed integrally therewith. The tabs 20 and 21 are provided with fixed pins 22 and 23 which are inserted in apertures 24 through the flange 16. The fixed pin arrangement adapts the tool holder for mounting on the flange 16 on either side of the working end of the pipe machine. For example when the tool holder is mounted as shown in FIGURE 1 the side 18 is utilized to hold tools. Should the tool holder be mounted on the opposite side of the pipe machine or above the front leg 14 the pin 23 would be inserted into the aperture through the flange 16 and the side 17 of the tool holder would engage and hold the tools.

The main body is further supported by a channel 25 which is welded or otherwise secured to a web 26. The web 26 is secured to the underside of the main body intermediate the ends thereof and approximately midway between the marginal sides of the body. The channel 25 is disposed at the proper angle to embrace portions of one of the legs such as 13. The angle of the channel relative to the leg 13 is best shown in FIGURE 4. When the tool holder is in place the concave surface of the channel 25 is in direct engagement with the outer surface of the leg 13.

Various tools such as the tools C may be supported in an out of the way position yet in a position readily accessible to the operator on either side of the pipe machine.

The fixed pin which is not being utilized to attach the tool holder to the pipe machine may be used to support an oil can or other special tools having hooked handles.

In accordance with the patent statutes, I have described the principles of construction and operation of my improvement in too-l supporting devices, and while I have endeavored to set forth the best embodiment thereof, I desire to have it understood that changes may be made within the scope of the following claims without departing from the spirit of my invention.

I claim:

1. A tool support for use on a portable stand having diverging legs, and having a generally horizontal flange provided with a generally vertical aperture adjoining the upper end of at least one of said legs, the support comprising an elongated body having longitudinally spaced notches in an edge thereof, a vertically projecting pin on the undersurface of said body adjacent one end thereof adapted to extend into said aperture in said flange, a web extending downwardly from said body at said one end thereof, and a channel adapted to embrace a portion of said one leg secured to said web at an acute angle to said body, the open side of said channel being directed away from said body.

2. The structure of claim 1 and in which said body is longitudinally centrally bent to provide two angularly related sides, and in which said web is connected to said body along the line of bend between said sides.

3. The structure of claim 1 and in which said notches are provided in both longitudinal side edges.

4. A tool support for use on a portable stand having diverging legs, and having a generally horizontal flange provided with a generally vertical aperture adjoining the upper end of at least one of said legs, the support comprising an elongated body including angularly related sides on opposite sides of a longitudinal line of bend, said sides having longitudinally spaced notches therein, said body including a central notch in one end thereof providing spaced projections at one end of said sides, a. pin projecting from the under surface of each of said projections and adapted to selectively engage in said aperture, a web on the under surface of said body substantially on a plane bisecting the planes of said body sides, and a channel adapted to embrace a portion of said one leg secured to said web at an acute angle to said body, said channel having its axis substantially on said bisecting plane and having the open side of the channel directed away from said body.

5. The structure of claim 4 and in which the portable stand includes apertured flanges at the upper ends of two of the legs, and in which said channel and one pin hold one side of said body substantially horizontal when said channel engages one of said two legs, and in which said other pin and channel hold the other side of said body substantially horizontal when said channel engages the other of said two legs.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 676,573 Bowers June 18, 1901 1,343,445 Gaffers June 15, 1920 1,580,207 Kibbe Apr. 13, 1926 2,577,988 Wirth Dec. 12, 1951 2,903,138 Brown Sept. 8, 1959 

